1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in one exemplary aspect to improved methods and apparatus for the tracking and linking of vehicles or chattel to information regarding the history or other aspects of that item.
2. Description of Related Technology
Many vehicles, such as automobiles, boats, all terrain vehicles, motorcycles, sports vehicles, etc. come into the possession of auto dealers, financial institutions and/or other businesses and companies (hereinafter referred to collectively as “dealers”) after having, in some cases, at least one previous owner/user. Dealers may come into possession of used vehicles as a result of the vehicle lease agreement ending, as partial payment for a new vehicle (i.e., a trade in), as rental cars or fleet/company vehicles which have been cleared out to make room for newer vehicles, and as repossessed vehicles.
Generally, these vehicles are accumulated and resold at vehicle auctions run by third parties. The general public is generally not permitted entrance into most vehicle auctions; rather only licensed dealers can participate.
During prior art vehicle auction processes, a dealer sends information about the vehicles the dealer will enter into the auction, including estimated sale values (as determined by the dealer), to an auction representative. In addition the auction provides its own estimated sale values based on previous auctions of similar vehicles. An auction representative then enters the information from the dealer as well as their own data into their inventory database prior to an auction. However, alternative methods including, for example, that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,349,870 to Mahoney, et al., issued Mar. 25, 2008 and entitled “Method for the Resale of Vehicles” which describes a method and apparatus for the resale of vehicles including a server communicating over the Internet to a dealer computer and an auction computer. The server stores data corresponding to a schedule of auctions for resale of vehicles. The server provides access to itself by the dealer computer by way of a web site and allows the dealer to access the server to consign a vehicle to the auction. The server notifies the auction computer of the vehicle consigned to the auction at the web site. The server receives information about the vehicle from the dealer computer and determines an adjusted floor value for the vehicle and transmits the adjusted floor value to the auction computer.
When buying from among the vehicles at auction, the dealers are responsible for researching the particular vehicles of interest to determine the vehicle history and to determine a market and wholesale values of the vehicle.
Generally dealers are able to determine vehicle history by using the vehicle identification number (VIN number) and one or more accessible vehicle information servers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,853, to Hecklinger issued Sep. 26, 2006 and entitled “System and Method for Generating Vehicle History Information” which describes a system, method and computer readable storage medium for generating vehicle history information are provided which, based on vehicle history records, determine whether a particular vehicle has a reliability issue and/or has passed import inspection. The reliability issue portion accesses a central database of vehicle history records for particular vehicles and a reliability issue data supplier look-up table to determine whether a reliability issue exists, and then displays the reliability issue or a file indicating that no reliability issue exists. The reliability issue may relate to a recall status of the vehicle and/or to the existence of a manufacturer buyback. The import compliance, or gray market, portion accesses the central database records to determine whether title/registration records in different countries exist along with an import record. Depending on the conclusions reached, the system and method displays an appropriate advisory record.
Determination of market and wholesale values of a vehicle may be accomplished in several ways, including via the dealer accessing one or more consolidated vehicle valuation information servers. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030036964, to Boyden, et al., published Feb. 20, 2003 and entitled “Method and System of Valuating Used Vehicles for Sale at an Electronic Auction Using a Computer” discloses a method and system using a computer for presenting vehicles for sale at an electronic auction. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing validated data regarding a specific vehicle that is to be presented for sale at the electronic auction. The accuracy of the data can be validated by comparing initial data regarding the vehicle provided by the seller with corresponding reference data to produce the validated data. The method can also include determining a first valuation for the vehicle by mapping the validated data to itemized valuation data.
Simultaneous to retrieving vehicle history and valuation information, dealers must also simultaneously place bids, track changing availability and position in the multiple lines (“lanes”) of vehicles available for auction. Such auctions can move very fast, thereby providing the participating bidders little time to obtain information, evaluate it, and make a decision on whether to bid or not (and how much). These decisions can also be greatly impacted by the history of the vehicle; e.g., if there was more than one prior owner, if the vehicle was previously leased or privately owned, whether the vehicle has been in any accidents, what state the vehicle was owned in, etc.
Even the best extant technologies for accessing such information are not suitable for such fast-paced environment, wherein for example a dealer may have as little as one minute to make a decision on a given vehicle. Even 3G “smartphones” with comparatively high speed Internet access, whether over the cellular infrastructure or a WiFi or similar interface, typically can take as long as two minutes to access the necessary information (e.g., via client entry of a VIN), and are generally unreliable in the temporal aspect in terms of repeated accesses in a short period of time. Stated simply, existing Internet access techniques can take to long and can be too unreliable for use in the aforementioned fast-paced auction environment.
Accordingly, despite the foregoing systems and methods, there is still a salient need for more efficient, reliable, and timely techniques and apparatus for the delivery of vehicle information. Such improved techniques and apparatus would reliably provide at least the most germane information to a dealer in at a speed consistent with the fast-paced auction setting. Ideally the improved techniques and apparatus would also be compatible with existing and incipient personal electronics and networking technologies. Still further, exemplary apparatus and technique would be adapted to keep track of a dealer's particular vehicles of interest in order to inform and/or alert the dealer when vehicles of interest are available or coming up for auction, thereby relieving the dealer of constantly waiting and watching for their vehicle(s) of interest.